Mamata Banerjee rules out allying with BJP

Attacking Narendra Modi without naming him, she said "I am in politics for long and I never indulged in politics on Bengalis and non-Bengalis.

Dismissing claims that Trinamool Congress would ally with BJP, party chief Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said it “will never happen”.

“It will never happen. Not at all. Some Congress babus who have been taught to say so on TV channels have started dancing from today, saying we will ally with BJP,” she said at an election meeting here, apparently referring to WBPCC President Adhir Chowdhury.

Chowdhury made the remarks during the day in the backdrop of BJP President Rajnath Singh promising a “handsome package” to West Bengal in the event of NDA coming to power.

“Rajnath Singh had said this yesterday. We have been saying for long that BJP and TMC have a blow hot and cold relations for long,” he alleged.

Ruling out a tie-up with BJP, Banerjee said it was not possible with a party which wanted to divide the state and Bengalis and non-Bengalis and wanted to send them packing from other states.

Attacking BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi without naming him, she said “I am in politics for long and I never indulged in politics on Bengalis and non-Bengalis. It is not in our culture.

“Those hailing from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other states and also Marwaris residing in Bengal are more Bengali than us.

“They are IAS and IPS officers working here hailing from other states. We have good relations with all of them,” she said.

While addressing an election meeting at Naihati, Singh had said if TMC wanted to fight, it could do so with Congress and asked why it was fighting BJP. It should stop doing so, he had said.

Banerjee also criticised a section of the media in the state, which she claimed, was trying to promote the BJP prime ministerial candidate and the BJP by spreading canards against her party and government.

“We are fighting alone with the support of the people, that is our strength. Shall you decide whether I should ally
with BJP or Congress or with CPI(M)?

“I will not do politics at your dictates. You cannot control me, you cannot control our government. You can control Modi, you can control CPI(M), you can control Sonia Gandhi, not me.”